A terrifying morning commute on Interstate 295 turned into a dramatic life-saving operation Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, as Good Samaritans, a state transportation worker and local police rescued two men from a truck that had overturned into an icy tributary.

The incident occurred just before 7:30 a.m. on I-295 northbound near Exit 22, close to West Deptford High School. According to Gloucester County Emergency Management, a commercial utility truck collided with another vehicle, believed to be an SUV. The truck then veered off the roadway, struck a guardrail and a snowbank, and overturned into the Hessian Run Tributary.

The vehicle quickly became submerged in the frigid water, trapping the two men inside.

‘I Kept Yelling, Are You Guys OK?’

What happened next was a display of quick thinking and extraordinary bravery.

John Reilly and Dalton Applegate were working their regular morning shifts for Johnson Specialized Transportation when they spotted the overturned truck. Without hesitation, they pulled over and rushed down the embankment toward the wreckage.

“As I ran down, I heard them beeping their horn to let us know someone was in there,” Reilly told CBS News Philadelphia. “I kept yelling, ‘Are you guys OK? How many people are in there?’”

Reilly forced open the door and pulled the passenger to safety. The driver, however, was in a far more perilous situation — trapped by his seatbelt with half his face submerged in the freezing water.

Applegate sprinted back to his vehicle to retrieve a knife. Reilly used it to cut the seatbelt and free the driver moments before conditions could have worsened.

“The second guy was so cold, he had no clue what was going on,” Applegate recalled.

They were not alone. A New Jersey Department of Transportation Safety Service Patrol operator and officers from the West Deptford Police Department also entered the water to assist, along with several other passersby who stopped to help.

Emergency officials said both men were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Reilly and Applegate, downplaying their actions, returned to work after the rescue.

Environmental Concerns: Diesel Spill Contained

While the rescue was successful, the crash created a significant environmental hazard.

Officials reported a substantial fuel leak into the Hessian Run Tributary, prompting a large-scale hazmat response.

New Jersey State Police Trooper Christopher Postorino said approximately 150 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into the waterway. The Gloucester County Hazmat Team, along with the West Deptford and Westville fire departments, responded to contain the spill and prevent further environmental damage.

Because the tributary feeds into Woodbury Creek — which ultimately flows into the Delaware River — the U.S. Coast Guard was notified and assisted with containment efforts. A private environmental cleanup company was also contracted to support remediation.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Multiple lanes of I-295 were closed for several hours but have since reopened.

Sources

CBS News Philadelphia. 2 rescued after truck overturns in South Jersey; multiple agencies respond to fuel spill.February 25, 2026.

NBC10 Philadelphia. Two people rescued from submerged vehicle after crash along New Jersey highway. February 25, 2026.

CBS News Philadelphia. Good Samaritans save men trapped inside overturned truck on I-295 in West Deptford, New Jersey. February 25, 2026.

Patch (West Deptford). 150 gallons of diesel spill as truck lands in water off I-295 in West Deptford, officials say.February 25, 2026.

6abc Action News. NJDOT worker helps rescue driver, passenger from truck crash on Route 295 in West Deptford, N.J. February 25, 2026.

FOX 29 Philadelphia. 2 rescued from utility truck that crashed, flipped into marsh on I-295 in Gloucester County.February 25, 2026.

Patch (West Deptford). Truck overturns into water, spills fuel off I-295 in West Deptford, officials say. February 25, 2026.